Help! I'm nervous about an interview... (PART 2 - VOICE)

If you've not already, make sure to go back and read PART 1 - MINDSET. But if you have, let's steam on ahead with PART 2 - VOICE!

SO....they've been interviewing candidates all day, they're tired and starting to zone out...maybe wishing they could just go home and solve this tomorrow... 

BUT THEN, IN YOU COME! Armed with vocal technique to catch them by suprise and make them want to listen to you.... you start speaking about your expertise... they lean in - the way you speak sounds authoritative, like you know your stuff... you mention that successful project you did last year.... they smile cause they feel the passion sparking off of you - that's the passion they want in their company.... you leave and they feel like they really connected with you - your emotions and your energy. So you get the job....

Sounds like the scenario you want?! Good, well keep reading, cause this is 100% possible for you. 

So, want do we need your voice to do? Well, we want to make sure you're sounding...

• self assured, confident & authoritative

• warm and approachable - someone they'd want to work with

• passionate about what you're saying

• energised and knowledgeable

And to do this you need to be exploring all the different areas of your voice - because there lies so much untapped potential.....

Obviously we can't cover everything today, but here are 5 things you can do to make your voice work better for you in your interview...

1. Breath & Support  - are you breathing from the diaphragm and supporting using intercostal & abdominal muscles. Shallow breathing (where you breathe high into the chest) creates tension in your neck & speaking muscles, and also means you can't really get much air in. It feels tight and panicky and definitely won't help with nerves.Whereas, deep diaphragmatic breathing will reduce tension in the voice & body, whilst also allowing you to control and support the airflow to your vocal cords. This will help the voice feel directed, authoritative and assured (and reduce any little nervous wobbles in the voice).

2. Resonance - are you varying your resonance? Chest resonance can feel grounded, calming and assertive to a listener, whilst adding more nasal resonance to the voice can feel more energised & excited, and focusing the resonance towards the hard palate can help your voice feel present and engaging.... what will you choose? Think about how you could use all of these for effects at different moments.

3. Warm Up - yes, maybe you're not off to sing an aria at the Royal Opera House, but you still need to warm up your voice. If you walk into an interview and it's the first time you've really spoken that day, will that help you? Probably not.... Give yourself the best chance you can and get your voice warm and under your control so that when you say, "Hi Katy, I'm Ali, it's great to be here, thanks for inviting me" - you know what's going to come out.

4. Pause - don't be afraid to pause. If they ask you a question, you don't have to jump in within 2 milliseconds. You didn't have these questions in advance so listen, pause, breathe, consider. It actually shows you're appreciating and respecting the question by taking a moment to think. (Also, HOWEVER long the pause feels, I can guarantee it's about a tenth of the length it feels!). This is YOUR interview - own the space and time - speak at your pace. Pausing also helps you to demonstrate some power and authority in the room in a really positive way - it helps them trust & respect you and helps you feel in control of your performance.

5. Pitch - record yourself speaking and listen to the range of pitch you use. If it's not that big, challenge yourself - really try to create more range in your intonation - explore the lower & upper parts of your voice and what that brings to your speaking. I often set clients the exercise of speaking like they're on CBeebies - talk about your accounting/ software/ legal expertise but as if you're trying to get a 5 year old to be excited about it... record yourself and listen back. It might suprise you how much more interesting it is to listen to!

You've got this - go impress them with how engaging you are!

I would love you to Subscribe to 'Fearless & Flourishing'

I've created it to help you build an unshakeable mindset and create big impact when you speak. All my tips are tried and tested (by myself & my clients!) and guaranteed to give your speaking a makeover!

Will you be giving it a go?

As a coach, NOTHING gives me more joy than a success story! If you've tried any of the tips from my newsletters, I would LOVE to hear how you got on - drop me a comment, say hi, ask any questions you may have - I'm here to help!

Want to fast-track & stop feeling nervous, unworthy or frustrated?

Book in for a free Voice & Mindset Discovery Call HERE

I'd love to chat about how we can transform your confidence, mindset & voice 🔥

That's it for today folks! If you found this valuable, please share 🙏🏻 it would absolutely make my day!

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Hi, I'm Lydia,

I’m a voice & mindset coach with a passion for helping people make the most of their speaking voice. I help people speak with impact, authority and confidence - allowing them to take their careers & businesses to the next level.

Originally from the New Forest, I now live in a nice leafy surburb of London🍃

I'm friendly, fun and efficient! I've helped lots of people just like you to transform into confident, flourishing speakers - through my group workshops, 1:1 coaching & articles.

But you are unique - everyone has different needs and I love creating bespoke coaching plans for all my clients to get them from their own A to B - depending on their personality, concerns, hopes and goals.

I can't wait to help you shine and express your expertise in a way that leaves a lasting impression on everyone around you! 💥

www.stepupvocalcoaching.co.uk